Bound to happen...

The concept of genetic predispositions is not new. It was highly favored in the early 20th century as eugenists sought to eliminate poverty, crime, and feeblemindedness, by sterilizing those thought to carry the genes that caused those problems. So the problems of man were "in his genes". The race could be improved or at least preserved by not allowing those who carried defective genes to breed. Originally a prophylactic type of birth control, eugenics became a bloody killing field of abortions on demand, and now has advocates of post-natal killing of defectives.

Now the genetic sciences are invading the field of law. According to Rick Weiss in the Washington Post, April 20, '08, genetic predispositions are being used as a defense for aberrent behaviors, with proof of defective genes being the evidence. The defective genes are found using DNA analysis. In a smattering of cases this defense has worked... and in others failed. But it will likely be a feature in court battles to come.

In some lawsuits, large corporations are demanding the DNA testing of individuals who sue claiming health damage. The corporations hope to show that long term health damage incurred due DNA, not due to actions of the company. If DNA shows certain defects, the corporation skates.

In criminal cases, some actions such as agression have been labeled as genetically predisposed, and there are DNA readable genes, such as MAO-A to prove it. The genes become the culprit, and the criminal becomes the victim. Opponents claim that "free will" and justice, as concepts, have both been sacrificed to the concept of genetic determinism.

It had to come. And it has to be addressed. The irresponsibility of "scientific" claims that we humans are here merely to service the evolutionary demands of our genes needs to be brought to rational conclusion.

For example, if it is true that we are slaves to our genes, then the individuals who say such things are merely mindlessly parroting the words of their own genes, words placed in their mouths for the sole advantage of the genes - which would not be a dispassionate source of such information. Such concepts are flawed. For example, the gene for ruthlessness, AVPR1a, would definitely not wish to be locked up for a free will crime committed by the human-slave. AVPR1a would wish to have the human-slave available for future missions. Thus AVPR1a would strongly advocate that the human-slave be exonorated of responsibility for his criminal actions. Ridiculous you say? Well, that's the result of the genetic determinism thought process, not a comic scenario.

Free will will continue to be attacked by the proponents of materialist philosophy, who wish to deflate any and all entities that might threaten their philosophical position. This is done by diminishing the value of the threatening entities in order to make them appear material. So free will becomes genetic determinism: reduced from a metaphysical existence to a purely physical existence.

This will only work within an irrational mental frame, and will ultimately fail to produce empirical results.

But these Philosophical Materialist assaults on rationality should be expected to continue. They should be discounted when they are seen, and fought as necessary.